Oil-can.



Patented July 4, I899 A. MI'LLER.

OIL CAN.

(Application filed .my 1a, was.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST MILLER, OF WVEST BURLINGTON, IOWA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EVVALT) II. IIOELZE N, OF BURLINGTON, IOIVA.

OIL-CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,435, dated July 4, 1899.

Application filed m 16,1898. Serial No. 686,145. on, man

To all whom it 711/6717] concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST MILLER, a resident of West Burlington, in the county of Des Moines and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil- Oans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in oil cans or tanks, the object of the invention being to provide a can or tank from which oil can be forced into a lamp or other device with out danger of spilling the oil.-

A further object is to provide a can or tank adapted to contain oil, into which air can be forced under pressure and said air utilized, after the air-inj ectin g mechanism has stopped, to eject the oil.

A further object is to provide a device of the class stated that will be simple inconstruction, easy to manipulate, and most effectual when in use.

. With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved can or tank. Fig. 2 is a view in section of same. Fig. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are views of details.

A represents a can or tank, preferably cylindrical in form and provided in one side with a cylindrical casing 1, in which is secured a pump-cylinder 2. The lower end of said pump-cylinder 2 is preferably disposed a short distance from the bottom of the can or tank A, whereby to permit the air fromv said pump to pass freely out into the casing 1.

My improved pump-rod 3 is preferably 1101- low and provided with a hollow handle 4 and is mounted in the pump-cylinder 2, as shown. The pump-rod 3 is. provided at or near its lower end with parallel flanges or disks 5 6, adapted to secure between them a suitable packing 7, and thus form the pump-piston. A housing or cage 8 is secured to the lower end of the pump piston or plunger and has disposed therein a valve 9, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6,) and adapted to normally rest on a support 10 in the valve-cage, whereby when the pump is raised the valve will bear against the support 10 and permit the inflow of air, and when the plunger is forced downward .the valve will close the opening in the plunger and permit the air to be forced into the cylinder 1. A

The upper end of the cylinder 1 is provided with a hole 11, over which a ball-valve 12, mounted in a casing 13, is adapted to normally rest. The casing 13, however, is of sufficient size to permit the ball 12 to move therein and be moved by the air forced in by the pump away from the hole or opening 11 and permit the air to pass into the main cylinder or tank through an opening 14 in the lower portion of the valve-casing, after which the ball 12 will resume its normal position to close the hole 11 and prevent any return of the air to the pump-cylinder.

A cylindrical casing 15 is provided in one side of the can or tank and is disposed a short distance from the bottom thereof, whereby to prevent the free flow of air thereinto. A spout or delivery-pipe 16 is mounted in the cylindrical casing 15 and is provided at or near its lower end with parallel flanges or disks to receive a suitable packing-16 as shown, whereby to prevent any escape of air or oil around said spout and also provide the spout with a longitudinally-movable bearing in said cylinder. A screw-threaded ring 17 is disposed on top of the can, at the upper end of said cylinder 15, and adapted to receive therein a disk 18, over which and around said spout anysuitable packing 19 may be placed, and a screwthreaded cap 20 is screwed into said ring and adapted to hold said disk and packing in place.

' A rod or plunger 21 is mounted in the spout 16 and provided in its lower end with a valve or stopper 22, held normally against the lower end of said spout by the tension of a spring 23, mounted in the upper portion of a casing 24 and adapted to bear at its lower end against a plate or disk 25, secured to the casing 21, and at its upper end said spring bears against a cap 26, to which said rod or plunger 21 is secured. Any suitable packing 27 may be provided around said rod or plunger where it passes into the spout and lower part of the casing 24, whereby to prevent any oil or air passing into said casing.

The lower end of the spout 16 may be provided with a cage 28, in which the lower end of the rod or plunger 21 is mounted and adapted to be moved therein, and hence insure the correct position of the valve or stopper 22.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: The handle 4 is raised to any desired position, the valve 9 falling down upon the support 10 and permitting a free ingress of air into the cylinder 2. At the same time the ball-valve 12 closes the hole 11. As the handle 4 is now pushed down the air in cylinder 2 will be forced out through the space between the bottom of said cylinder and the bot tom of the can into the cylinder 1, and thence upward through the hole 11, (forcing the valve 12 away from said hole,) and thence through the hole 14 into the main cylinder. The valve 12, as before stated, is normally tight against the spout 16, and hence there can be no escape of oil or air through this spout and air can be forced into the main cylinder to any pressure desired. When it is desired to fill a lamp or other device, the spout 16 can be raised or adjusted, and it will be seen that as the lower end of the spout 16 is provided with the packing 16 it will act as a plunger and draw the oil up to any height desired, thus keeping the oil always at the opening in the bottom of the spout, even though the amount of oil in the can may be very low. The spout can then be inserted into the opening in said lamp and the cap 26 pushed downward, which action will force the valve 12 away from the lower end of said spout and permit the flow of oil, after which the cap can be released and the spring 23 will force the valve or stopper 22 against the lower end of the spout, and hence shut ofi the supply of oil.

Any suitable supply-opening and cap 30 maybe provided for said can or tank, whereby to fill said can or tank.

An indicator for denoting the level of the oil in the tank may be employed, and may consist of a shaft 31, having a spiral groove 34: for the reception of a pin or projection on a float 37. The float may be provided with loops 40 for the passage of guide-rods 36. The shaft 31 is provided with a suitable pointer 33. The details of the indicating devices do not, however, constitute a part of the Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a tank and a valved spout communicating therewith, of two cylinders disposed one within the other so as to form a chamber between them, the outer cylinder closed at its lower end and the inner cylinder in constant communication with said chamber, a check-valve between the upper end of said chamber and the interior of the tank, a hollow piston in the inner cylinder, an upwardly-closing valve for said piston, and a hollow piston-rod secured to and communicating with said hollow piston and projecting through the head of the inner cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a tank and means for compressing air therein, of a cylinder dis posed within said tank, a vertically-movable tube projecting into said cylinder and terminating at its upper end in a spout, said tube constitutinga piston-rod,a hollow piston within said cylinder, said piston secured to and communicating with said tube or piston-rod, a valve for closing the piston and manuallyoperated means for opening said valve, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a tank and means for compressing air therein, of a cylinder within said tank, a vertically-movable tube projecting into the cylinder and terminating at its upper end in a spout, said tube constituting a piston-rod, a piston on said tube or piston-rod, a valve at the lower end of said tube, a hollow extension on the upper end of said tube, a movable cap on said extension, a rod secured at one end to said cap passing through said tube and secured at the other end to the valve at the lower end of said tube, and a spring for maintaining the valve normally closed, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with a tank and means for compressing air therein, of a cylinder within said tank, a vertically-movable tube within said cylinder and terminating at its upper end in a spout,-a head or piston on said tube within the cylinder, a valve for the lower end of said tube, a cage depending from said head or piston, a rod secured to said valve and adapted to move through and be guided by the lower end of said cage, said rod projecting above the upper end ofthe tube, a cap secured to the upper end of said rod and a spring under said cap for maintaining the valve normally closed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

-AUGUST MILLER.

W'itnesses:

JNo. J. SEERLEY, CHAS. C. CLARK. 

